UMC adds two new organizations to ranks

The United Minorities Council voted to induct two more student groups into the organization -- the Bangladesh Students Association and the Penn African Student Association. There are now 15 member groups in the umbrella organization that represents a wide range of minority interests. According to UMC Chairman and College senior Jerome Byam, the addition of the BSA and PASA can only increase the UMC's effectiveness. "The minority community isn't uni-dimensional," he said. "So, the more groups we have helps us to better achieve our goals and mission." The BSA has 72 members and it seeks to promote the interests of students with a Bangladeshi cultural heritage. Bangladesh is a small nation in South Asia bordered by India. And the PASA has 157 members, of whom 25 percent are African. Their goal is to increase awareness of African issues on campus. The decision to induct the BSA and PASA was made when the General Council of the UMC, composed of representatives from the different constituent organizations, met on Saturday afternoon at the Greenfield Intercultural Center. Both groups went through the same process for membership, including a presentation by a representative and a question-and-answer period. The constituents then vote secretly and a three-fourths majority is required to become a member. The BSA went first, with representatives Nawshin Ali and and Sadia Chaudhury, both College juniors, briefly reviewing the group's history and reasons for wanting to join the UMC. "We are trying to become a more legitimate organization on campus," Ali said. "We hope that the UMC can lend us that legitimacy and [help us] establish more connections with other minority groups." Following the presentation, there was a discussion during which council members raised various concerns including the small size of the BSA's board and its role in combatting student apathy. And while Ali and Chadhury were out of the room, the members talked for about 20 minutes, specifically touching upon the role of a Bangladesh club within the South Asian community. But ultimately, the council members admitted the BSA after voting in a secret ballot. "We're thrilled. It really gives us more legitimacy... and access to minority resources," Ali said. The process began again when PASA representative, Baker Kiggundu, a College senior, was given his turn to speak to the council. The PASA, which was revived in 1993, aims to promote "awareness of Africa and African culture and issues," Baker said. He then cited the group's reasons for seeking UMC membership, which will allow the PASA to work with many other groups and aide its revitalization efforts. Before Baker left the room so that council members could debate and vote, he answered their questions and addressed the issues they raised. Debating for only about five minutes, the General Council quickly called for a vote and accepted the group as a member. "They add to the voice of the UMC," Byam said.

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